Samasource

Yesterday we talked about how One Acre Fund is helping people escape poverty by giving them access to technology that makes them better farmers. Today’s non-profit also fights poverty with technology, but they’re using the power of the Internet to give people in countries like India, Pakistan, Haiti, Uganda, South Africa, and Kenya access to more robust economies. Samasource is based in San Francisco, CA, and they have a technology platform that brings “dignified, computer-based work to women, youth, and refugees living in poverty.” Outsourcing and offshoring often get a bad rap, but you rarely hear about how life changing the work can be for the people who get it. (I’m also convinced that outsourcing is a significant net positive for those of us who live in the countries with robust economies.)

Consider Your Source

Samasource offers content services, data enrichment, and transcription. It’s the kind of work that doesn’t require much specific knowledge, but can’t easily be automated. Quality is still highly important, so a work force that is managed and monitored consistently is essential. That’s exactly what Samasource offers. It’s a little unusual that Samasource is a non-profit. There are plenty of companies that offer something very similar with the goal of making money. The difference is that Samasource is able to target their workforce based on social goals instead of just financial goals. If you want to learn more, I highly recommend the video below along with these case studies.